They were in New York for three consecutive days after that and Jade had a great laugh pretending to be able to speak a New York accent – which she could not. The only words she actually managed to pull off were indeed "New York" and that was as good as it got.
Still, Perrie, Jesy and Leigh-Anne pretended for the sake of it and they all had a laugh when the waitress in TGIF chuckled when Jade ordered her meal with what she considered great accent skills.
"Jade, just stop it," Perrie giggled into her and just as casually as that she put her hand on Jade's thigh and yes, Jade thought, she might have done everything the blonde asked her in this very moment.
Of course, their kiss (although Jade would prefer to call it making out, even if she wasn't too sure because it only been a bit of heated kissing) had been kept a secret again from their two band mates. Neither of them knew of any of the kisses they had shared except for their first and for some reason Jade kind of liked the idea that they were present when it happened. It sort of made up for the fact that they weren't invited to the wedding (which it didn't really, but the brunette felt put at ease a little bit because she still felt guilty as hell for that).
When they were nearly finished with their lunch – they still had about one and a half hours to be at the radio station they were supposed to visit – two girls approached them, their hands holding onto each other tightly. "We're so sorry," the shorter one said and pushed her braids out of her face. "But, uh, is it okay if we asked you for a picture?"
"It's totally okay if you don't want to," her friend said quickly and the two girls looked at each other frightened before their eyes changed into hopeful and looked at the quartet.
Jade looked around if the others were okay with it before she nodded to the girls and they all shuffled together with the two of them in the middle. A woman of about forty to fifty years took the picture and Jade assumed it was the shorter girl's mother.
"Um," the taller one said and fidgeted with her fingers before looking to her friend for help. "We, uh, um. That might sound kinda stupid but we wanted to thank you for coming out."
Jade raised her eyebrows in surprise before wrapping her arms around the girl. "You don't need to thank us, darling. But we're very glad if we could help in any way."
"You did," she replied and her face split into a huge grin, which she then addressed at the other girl. "Tylissa and I have been friends since kindergarten and we had a crush on each other but we were scared of what the other would think if we came out as gay to each other."
"Well, technically I'm bisexual but it doesn't matter really in this context," the other girl laughed and looked at her – Jade realised now – girlfriend. "We've both been fans of you girls for about a year now and when we found out we worked up the courage to come out to each other and also confessed our feelings."
Perrie pressed her hands to her cheeks with big eyes as she let out a squealish, "Aw, that's so adorable!" before she threw her arms around the couple. "I'm so happy for you two! I hope you live happily ever after."
"Like the Disney princesses," the girl with the name Tylissa replied with a blush on her cheeks. "Maybe one day you and Jade will become Disney princesses as well."
"I just pictured Jasmine and Elsa getting married," Leigh-Anne laughed and the other females joined her but that was precisely what it was going to look like.
Then the two girls thanked the four of them and slowly backed away from the table. "See, this is one of the reasons why this whole thing is great," Jesy told them quietly as she put her cutlery on her empty plate. "Like, yes, maybe it's not completely true. But you're helping a shit ton of people overcome their internalised homophobia and make them realise it's okay."
"And that's exactly what we are about," Leigh-Anne supported her. "We're four individuals who want to show people that it is okay to be the way you want to be and to live true to yourself." With a smile at Jade and Perrie she added, "So please don't ever feel bad about the way you feel towards each other, even if it's not the way people think." Her eyes lay heavily on Jade and the brunette felt herself blush.
She faked a cough to be able to hide her face behind a napkin and then smiled at Perrie, who was looking at her with an expression so filled with awe that it took her breath away for a second. But then she quickly caught herself and after paying the waitress what they owed with a little bit of tip they left the restaurant.
Of course, Perrie held Jade's hand as tightly as ever.
***
"Look at all those people," Leigh whispered intimidated as they made their way to the stage. "I can't believe these people are here – do you think some of them are going to watch us?"
"Jason Derulo is here," Perrie murmured awestruck. "He heard us cover his song so he might be interested in what we sound like onstage."
"God," Jesy choked out and shook her head in disbelief. "This is insane."
There was already quite a big crowd standing in front of the stage and waiting for several artists to come and entertain them. The Billboard Hot 100 was a huge deal to them as they were very aware that a lot of people paid attention to what Billboard had to say about various singers and bands. They were known in the USA and if you wanted to have success there you probably had to get them on your side.
"Okay, but we can do this," Leigh told herself and didn't know if she was telling the other girls or rather reassuring herself. "We've practised all of these songs time and time again, we know them by heart. What could go wrong?"
"I could trip and fall on my butt," Jade replied, an edge of panic noticeable in her voice.
Perrie was the first to turn around at the sound of her words and immediately wrapped an arm around the brunette. "Hey, I'll catch you if you fall, yeah?" The choice of wording made Jade laugh a little because it was somehow ironic how she had already done it without noticing.
She had made Jade feel loved without actually giving her what she wanted but for now Jade was content with what they had without feeling the need to actually tell her. Truth be told, she had no idea how long she could hold out like this, with their relationship status somehow undefined but she knew as long as she could she would keep her feelings a secret because they could seriously ruin everything.
"Thanks," she finally spoke after a few seconds and Perrie squeezed her shoulders comfortably.
"Don't you worry, little one," the blonde told her excitedly. "We're going to have a blast here today and tomorrow at the party we're going to show everyone we can be both fierce as well as loving and tender."
An image flickered through Jade's head again and she cursed herself mentally. She wondered what was Perrie like in bed, if she was soft and preferred vanilla sex or if she liked if rough, if she had any kinks. Could Jade live up to them?
But then she shook her head at herself because she would probably never need to find out because she would probably never have sex with her (either way, Jade was a woman with needs and she liked to imagine that it was good for Perrie as well).
"Pez, you're an idiot," Jesy told her but her laugh was loud and vibrant so the three others had no choice but to join her. The one thing about Jesy that nobody could deny was that her good mood was simply contagious. There was no way around it – if Jesy was happy and excited you automatically were happy and excited as well.
When they finally calmed down Leigh sighed as she dragged herself up and then puffed out some air. "Alright, gals. Let's do this."
***
"Let's play a drinking game," Jade suggested as she looked through the mini-fridge in her and Perrie's hotel room. There wasn't any alcohol, as she had expected, but that didn't mean that they couldn't call for room service and got some delivered.
"You sure?" Leigh asked giggling and cocked an eyebrow at her. "You remember what happened the last time you were pissed."
Jade rolled her eyes playfully at her friend, "Well, whatever is about to happen tonight I'm sure as hell not going to forget it. I will stop tonight when I'm done."
When the brunette sat down on the bed next to Perrie and grabbed the room phone to call the room service to get two bottles of champagne and maybe something else (the woman on the phone definitely didn't sound pleased but she didn't say a word about how scared she was these four women would trash her hotel room) and then she felt Perrie's hand on her thigh.
Looking up startled she heard the blonde whisper so quietly that Leigh and Jesy, who were engaged in a conversation about why you had to pay hundreds of dollars and then there were still some channels unlocked in hotel rooms, couldn't hear what she was saying, "Promise me you won't forget again?"
Frowning Jade shook her head no, "I won't. And I'm sure someday I will remember our wedding." With a forced smile she leant forward and pecked her lips quickly, hoping that Leigh and Jesy were still caught up with themselves so they wouldn't notice.
She was lucky this time.
Less than five minutes later the room service arrived with plenty to drink for about ten people and the four girls sat down on the floor in a circle. "Okay, so here's what I thought," she told them and started explaining the game. It was rather simple, as most drinking games were in order to ensure people could still play when they were shit-faced.
It was basically a dirtier version of a game they had invented while on tour – one of them does a dance move and then the next copies that move and invents a new move. The third does both dances and adds another. They would keep a count on a piece of paper of how many moves there were eventually and when someone couldn't remember they had to drink as many shots as many moves they forgot.
"Like if Perrie does a hip circle but she was supposed to do a thrust or flail her arms she takes a shot for as many moves as were going to follow that one."
"I'm going to have to drink a million shots tonight," Jesy laughed as she poured some liquor into the four shot glasses and then some water into a bigger glass – as much as Leigh and Jade loved partying she wasn't as much of an alcohol friend as she seemed at first. She always needed something she could drink other than alcohol.
It took about two minutes and forty-seven seconds after this that the first shot was downed – by none other than Perrie. Her face scrunched up and her tongue hang out of her mouth, moving side to side as the blonde shook her head with closed eyes. "Ugh, I really hate shots."
"You'll get used to it," Jade giggled and watched her down a second and then a third. Jesy frowned because she knew as much as the next that Perrie couldn't take much alcohol but then again it was Jade who had had the blackout in Vegas and not her.
Two hours and six bottles later Perrie finally put her hand over Leigh-Anne's shot glass. Captain Morgan was pouring onto her light skin and sticking her fingers together. "It's time for us to stop," she slurred and hiccupped before covering her mouth. "We had too much."
Jade nodded her head but her eyes were closed. One arm draped over Perrie's shoulder she took the glass way from Leigh, who pouted at the couple. "I hate you," she told them playfully and sighed in defeat.
Jesy was fast asleep, her head lying on her folded palms. Her body was in foetus position and for some reason Jade thought it looked really comfortable down there on the cotton carpet. "Sleep," she whined to Perrie, who nodded her head and tried to get up but stumbled before falling back onto her bottom next to Jade. The two of them giggled.
"Okay, okay," Perrie then said but there was still a silly smile on her lips. "Let's all sleep in our bed tonight. We haven't had a sleepover in a while." With a lot of struggle the three drunk girls managed to get Jesy partly undressed and then under the sheets before they followed suit. After another few minutes filled with struggle they were finally wearing nothing but their knickers and a shirt each and fell asleep snoring sharing the same blanket.
***
Waking up felt like a déjà-vu to Jade. Her head was pounding and she knew once again that she had definitely exceeded the limit. This time was different though because she had kept her promise, she had remembered the last night. Happily she turned around in the bed, expecting to be facing three sleepy women but in fact the bed was empty except for herself and Perrie.
Confused she sat up (with a lot of regret as a pain shot through her temples) and looked around – there was no sight of neither Jesy nor Leigh-Anne.
Perrie stirred and Jade looked down at her, feeling a surge of both panic and relief flooding through her; was that even physically possible?
On the one hand she felt relieved at seeing Perrie so relaxed next to her, so happy and cute and blissfully asleep. On the other hand she was panicking because what if she had forgotten something about yesterday night?
But no, she remembered perfectly well. They had played and then Perrie and her stopped Leigh-Anne from drinking anymore and after they had managed to pull a sleeping Jesy on the bed they all got undressed and fell asleep; and she was still wearing the same underwear and shirt she had worn when she fell asleep.
Perrie yawned and threw an arm around Jade, seemingly awake as she mumbled, "Come lie down with me some more. I'm tired."
"Where're Leigh and Jesy?" Jade replied in a questioning manner as she did as Perrie had asked – to be honest she would have done pretty much everything for Perrie when she asked her like this, all soft skin and raspy morning voice mixed with messy bed hair.
Perrie shrugged and snuggled closer. "Probs in their rooms. They left sometime in the morning. Woke me up."
"Sorry I woke you again," Jade told her and felt relieved because that meant she definitely did remember the last night. Her entire worrying had been ridiculous anyway because she was basically questioning her sanity and she definitely couldn't need that right now with everything going on.
"Doesn't matter," the blonde yawned into her shoulder and Jade felt herself shiver. "You always cuddle when you wake me so it's good."
Before she could stop herself Jade murmured, "You look really cute half-asleep."
A grin made its way onto Perrie's face and she opened one of her eyes to be able to look at the woman whose breasts she currently used as a pillow. "Yah?"
Jade felt herself nod and then the blonde was leaning in, pressing their lips together. Jade pushed her back by the shoulders although she really loved being kissed, especially in the morning when everything felt so soft and fluffy, "I have morning breath."
"Doesn't matter," Perrie breathed and leaned in again.
This time Jade didn't protest as their lips met but she refused to open her mouth, which caused Perrie to withdraw with a frustrated sigh. "Alright, let's have it your way. Let's go brush our teeth. I wanna kiss."
Feeling a blush on her cheeks the brunette made her way to the bathroom quickly and immediately started brushing her teeth. The blonde was standing next to her, doing the same and after a few moments of awkward silence and staring they couldn't help but start laughing at this whole thing. "Ridiculous," Jade told her when she washed out her mouth. "We're really like a bunch of two-year olds."
Perrie shrugged again and then suddenly pushed Jade against the wall, pressing not only their lips together but their entire bodies. A groan fell from Jade's mouth but was quieted by Perrie's tongue sliding into her mouth. Her hands were on Jade's hips, holding them against the cool tiles of the bathroom. If possible she leant even more into Jade, pressing their bodies together so tightly that Jade thought she might run out of breath – but then again the reason for that could be the way Perrie's mouth was moving over hers hungrily.
"Guys, are you awake?" Leigh-Anne's voice rang through Jade's ears.
With widened eyes she pushed Perrie off of her, who blushed a deep shade of red but quickly caught herself and walked out of the bathroom, following her wife. "We'd just brushed our teeth," Jade explained and cleared her throat after noticing how breathless she was and how croaky her voice sounded.
The black woman eyed them suspiciously for a few seconds before shaking her head and smiling at them, "Good, because you need to be ready in two hours for your party. I hope you've practised the waltz." After that she left the two to get ready and Jade sighed out in relief.
"I'm going to throw up," Perrie murmured and when the brunette turned around she noticed how pale she was.
"Alcohol or nerves?"
She shrugged and put her lips together tightly probably to avoid throwing up right there.
"Well, for what it's worth it, I think you're going to do great tonight. You're going to look stunning and we'll make a lot of people happy."
Breathing out heavily Perrie nodded her head. "Okay. Okay, nerves, I think." She then put on a shaky smile. "Well, at least I have something to look forward to when we get home afterwards. I really like the way you kiss, I have to admit." Turning on her heel she stalked off towards the bathroom, leaving Jade's head spinning.
She knew it was neither the alcohol nor the nerves that caused her dizziness.